The Jacket Ritual
Engineering Jackets. Golden Party Armour. The SINGLE biggest sign of a Queen's Engineer. The Engineering jackets have been a part of the faculty for over a century, dating back to before the faculty joined the fledging and growing Queen's University of Kingston Ontario. They've changed a lot over the years. From being a fibre jacket during the 50's, to being a Light Tan up until the early 80's, to purpling during the 90's, The Jacket has changed with every generation of Queen's Engineering and Applied Science Student. The rules around The Jackets have changed as well. Back in the day, it used to be that The Jacket could never touch the ground. With the advent of the 90's, and the craziness that came with it, the rules of The Jacket changed. The Jacket was (and remains) sacred. What changed was when and how the first years received the honour of The Jacket. Having not finished a single term of engineering, they hadn't earned the right to touch The Jacket. Therefore, needing to pick them up from the Centre of the Universe , they had no choice but to kick their new jackets home. Important to note was that their upper years HAD earned the Pleasure/Honour/Euphoria of touching The Jacket. So if an upper year just so happened to throw the jacket into a tree or a bench, a car or otherwise, the first years would need to fetch their jacket by means of feet or teeth, or by employing the help of a nearby nursing student (the only other faculty permitted to touch The Jacket). This started out as a form of hazing. But, by virtue of having a great many smart people around, ways were found of changing an event for the good of student's and welcoming them into the lineage of Queen's Engineering. In modern days, the event has the goal a support mechanism for student's living through their first set of university exams. Before we get to the main event, a little context. * It's common knowledge that Finals are a stressful time for students in any faculty, discipline, field or other grouping. * Student's tend to focus on their finals to the detriment of all else. * Queen's Engineering and Applied Science has an entrance average of 91% +/- 2 depending on the year * The average the faculty aims for after first year is of 68-70% overall. ** So the average student, whom had previously been the top of their class, is now averaging a C+ * The change from A to C can be crippling for first years especially, with feelings of inadequacy and imposter syndrome to name but a few. * As student begin to notice their grades sliding, some are willing to seek out help, while others, their pride tarnished or shattered, begin to hide from their social circles, attend less class, and seek out other means of self validation. * Many I'm sad to say, end up using this very wiki as a form of accomplishment, binging them self into an alcohol fuelled sedated stupor. So, where does the ritual of Jacket pickup come into this. Notice what the true name of The Jacket is. Golden Party Armour. More colloquially known as the GPA. Yeah, weird how, in the middle of exams, there's an event, put on by upper year students, specifically aimed at pulling students out of their dorm rooms, into a positive social environment, surround by students who have all been trained in accessibility training, whom have taken an oath to help the next generation. Funny how, this event focuses on taking pride in an imperfect thing known as a GPA, that everyone has. Funny how it has student's, in small or large dosses, get some fresh air and exercise when they may or may not have been getting their 150. Funny how, the first years are brought together to form strong bonds through earning their stripes in a playful manner, reminding them of how, as silly as they may be, they will ALWAYS be part of the family. It might be a FREC, It might be a member of EngSoc, It might be a member of FEAS, It might be the Dean themselves, It might be a random upper year, but there will ALWAYS be someone that you can call to support you, encourage you, and push you towards new heights. The Jackets are a part of the culture. They connect us to our past, keep us grounded in the present, and as a sign of what we will be years into the future. The Jacket tells the story of its wearer. A brief display of their path so far. Just as the Ring we will one day wear as a reminder of our duty, The Jacket serves as a reminder of the family we are brought into, the place we became adults, and the home we will all return to. -TheBarMan of Queen's P.S. For all those whom would like to know more about the strides that the student body has made in regards to supporting our family, reach out to the admins of this wiki. Always willing to talk about this place, for all the joys and sorrow it has brought me. Category:History Category:GPA Category:Tradition